for a
Brighter
Future

March 8, 2023

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Karen Keys-Gamarra Announces Candidacy for District 7, Virginia House of Delegates

 

Fairfax County, HD-7 – Karen Keys-Gamarra, At-Large Fairfax County School Board Member, will run for the House of Delegates in the new District 7. This is an open seat following the retirement of long-time, beloved Delegate Ken Plum.

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Attorney Keys-Gamarra has served as an At-Large Member of the Fairfax County School Board since August 2017, when she flipped a Republican-held seat. In 2019, Keys-Gamarra received the most votes in her reelection to the school board. She also served on the Fairfax County Planning Commission. Keys-Gamarra commented on her campaign launch:

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“I want to thank Delegate Plum for his leadership and service to our community. He’s always stood up for our shared Democratic values, and I plan to honor his legacy in the General Assembly. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent families in HD-7 in a new capacity.

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In the House of Delegates, I will advocate for a world-class public education system that attracts business and builds a thriving economy for all. I will use my leadership skills and strong voice to champion our reproductive rights, climate change issues, affordable housing, gun safety, DEI policies, LBGTQIA+ rights, workforce development, justice system reform, and transportation concerns.

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I have first-hand experience defending against Governor Youngkin and his team’s assault on our public schools. Republicans want to censor books, rewrite history, ban AP African American Studies, marginalize students and parents, and defund our public schools. Now, more than ever, we need a leader who has been in the trenches, on the front lines protecting our students, families, and community. As your next Delegate, I will fight to stop their extreme agenda.

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I want to put my collective experiences as a lawyer, former planning commissioner, and local elected official and my dedication to public service to work in the General Assembly. I will be ready on Day One to fight for our families.”

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Karen Keys-Gamarra is the mother of three FCPS graduates. Professionally, she is a practicing attorney who has served as a court-appointed guardian ad litem representing children’s best interests in abuse, neglect, detention, adoption cases, and family law matters. Keys-Gamarra graduated from Tulane University and Washington University School of Law. Over the course of her career, she has practiced law in multiple states on bankruptcy, employment discrimination, labor law, and criminal justice matters.